Controversial Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves was rushed from the Liberal party's campaign rally today as journalists tried to ask her questions in one of her few recent public appearances.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison, speaking at the Liberal party rally at Sydney Olympic Park, earlier acknowledged Ms Deves in the crowd among other Liberal candidates for Sydney electorates.
They included North Sydney Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman, who has strongly opposed Ms Deves' comments about trans people and reportedly asked for her to be dumped.
Liberal senator Marise Payne, who has refused to endorse Ms Deves, was also present.
Journalists attempted to ask Ms Deves questions when the rally finished, however she was swiftly escorted to a lift and exited the building, as media took photos and filmed her leaving.
Ms Deves, selected by Mr Morrison after a bitter pre-selection battle to run against independent Zali Steggall in the Sydney northern beaches seat of Warringah, has not been available for media interviews - except for one each with SBS and 2GB - since public backlash against her comments about trans people.
Ms Deves has apologised for comments in which she likened her push to stop transgender people from competing in women's sports to standing up to the Nazis and said transgender children were "surgically mutilated and sterilised".
"I did that as a private person, not envisaging that I would eventually put my hand up to run for politics and to potentially be the member for Warringah," she told 2GB last week.
Mr Zimmerman also exited the Sydney Olympic Park venue on Sunday without taking questions or doing interviews.
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Ms Deves says she has received death threats, and the matter has been referred to the federal police.
She told SBS she had been "chastened" by the reaction to her controversial comments.
"I recognise that trying to prosecute arguments on complex, difficult and nuanced subjects should not take place on a platform that propagates offence and division and hurt. And going forward, I will be conducting myself within a dignified and respectful fashion," she said.
"As a mother and a woman, I recognise that the way I prosecuted those arguments was not conducive to proper, reasonable debate."
Ms Deves has also said she is not transphobic, and that her comments relate to "the rights of women and girls to have a dedicated female sports category for fair competition" and legislation "not doing its job" to create a level playing field.
In the wake of the controversy, there have been multiple calls for Ms Deves to be disendorsed, including by Mr Zimmerman and NSW Treasurer Matt Kean.
However, Ms Deves has vowed she would stand firm despite the criticism within her own party.
Mr Morrison at a press conference earlier on Sunday in western Sydney again defended Ms Deves, saying she had withdrawn her comments about trans people and acknowledged they were insensitive.
"And that was my view as well. So there is no suggestion that I have supported those earlier comments. I don't support those earlier comments," he said.
